The new low in reality TV is diving, where already B-level names purposely dive even lower in order to get on network TV.
Weeks after a Fox special “Stars in Peril: The High Dive” did its own headlong dive into low ratings (with 3.4 million viewers and only 1.3 million among the 18-49 demographic, the lowest rated network show of the night), ABC has announced its own perplexing list of participants for its “Celebrity Diving.”
The show is now renamed “Splash,” possibly to get some synergy from a nearly 30 year old Daryl Hannah-Tom Hanks movie. It won’t have either of those stars, though it will have the requisite “Baywatch” star, Nicole Eggert, as well as a former Huxtable, Keshia Knight Pulliam, the youngest of the crew on “The Cosby Show.”
Some may tune in to see Kendra Wilkinson, the dimmest of the “Girls Next Door” who went on to have her own reality show. If Drake Bell, the onetime heartthrob from “Drake & Josh” still has fans, they might as well (though some may be expecting the more popular single-named Drake).
Brent Musburger may have launched a one-man write-in campaign to sign up Katherine Webb, the beauty contestant and girlfriend of University of Alabama quarterback that he leered over at the BCS game.
Ndamukong Suh, once voted the least liked player in the NFL, will be diving, as will Chuy Bravo, the diminutive sidekick and butt of jokes on “Chelsea Lately.” Perhaps they will illustrate a physics law: Will they drop at the same rate of speed?
I looked three times to make sure the listing of Louie Anderson wasn’t Lonnie Anderson. But no, it’s the comedian and sometime game show host. He may have thought it was a cannonball competition.
Two more celebrities are yet to be named. “Splash” premieres March 19 on ABC.